Food for Thought Report 4.13

Out of 25 food establishments inspected by the Lubbock Health Department this week, there were no top performers, but there were two low performers. One of those low performers let us inside the kitchen to show us that everything is clean.

Inspectors say hot dogs, chili and brisket were found in a slow cooker, but did not meet the rapid-reheating temperature of 165 degrees or hotter.

A coke machine was blocking a hand sink.

Insect spray and other toxic items were stored with food.

Microwaves were soiled with dried food inside.

There were no thermometers to check food temperatures.

That violation must be corrected by Friday, all other violations were corrected on site.

Now to the only other low performing restaurant on the list this week. Health impactors found six critical violations at 101 Grill and Bar at 10007 Slide Road. 101 Manager Zachary Thiel invited NewsChannel 11 into the kitchen to explain their violations and show us that they are back on track.

Inspectors say lettuce in a reach in cooler was brown and slimy. "When it brown or it has spots that are brown, we toss and replace it with fresh lettuce. It was just something that was neglected to be taken care of that day," Thiel said.

Next inspectors found a soiled wiping cloth stored on a prep table. "When then guys come and do their prep work they like to keep a towel in their back pocket so when their hands get soiled they wipe it off, and in the process of doing things, just set it right there. It was something that was taken care of right of way," Thiel said.

On the report, sliced turkey and ham and refried beans were not date-marked. "That was something that we corrected once it was pointed out to us and I've gone through with all the guys working the kitchen. They are on top of everything and I assure you it's not going to happen again," Thiel said.

A hand washing station was missing paper towels. "We ran out of paper towels, and it was corrected when it was pointed out. Again in the heat of the moment we were prepping and getting things done, something that gets over looked, and when it was pointed out it was corrected right on site," Thiel said.

A personal drink was found near a bottle of bleach water. "It gets hot in the kitchen, so they keep their drinks back here, and we keep all our cleaning chemicals back here and in the process of washing dishes just put their drink down there," Thiel said.

Finally, inspectors say soup cups kept under the prep table were found soiled. Thiel says the cups are excess are were stored under the table to keep them out of the way, "In the process of taking food off the grill and onto the table to plate it to send it out, food falls on it. Before we were to ever use these we would make sure they were washed and clean, it's just kept over there to keep them out of the way."

Thiel says he and the rest of the staff take pride in keeping the kitchen clean, and wants everyone to know that it's a great clean place to eat. "We try and keep it as clean as we possibly can. I want to feel comfortable eating here and I want everybody else to enjoy themselves and feel comfortable eating here also," Thiel says.

Thiel says everything was corrected on site. The report show that as well.